"Just about every collaboration I've done has been done because I believed that the final product would be stronger in some ways than either of us would have produced on his or her own. The fact that the final book will be stronger in some ways doesn't necessarily mean that I expect it to be stronger in all ways, but it does mean that my collaborator and I are each going to be bringing different strengths to the table with us." —David Weber

It’s always fascinating to get a glimpse inside an author's writing process, be it solo or collaborative, and these words from Weber confirm that the best collaborative writers are choosing a collaborative path because they believe—for a variety of reasons—that, for some stories, it’s the way toward a stronger book.

The books in this week’s top 10 list are an indication of success in that aim, the two selections co-written by Weber included. Curious to see how each of these 10 co-written books ranked? Read on to see and let us know if you agree! 

Without further ado, based on the combined nominations and votes here on the Discover Sci-Fi blog and the Facebook group, here are the top 10 co-written sci-fi books of all time! 

10. Ruins of the Galaxy by J.N. Chaney and Christopher Hopper

“Absolutely masterful storytelling cadence that you two gentlemen have learned how to write and play off of each others style... It has been rare that I have enjoyed a book as immensely as I did this one.” —Eugene Hunter

Whether it’s the nominated series, Ruins of the Galaxy, or Ruins of the Earth, or Resonant Son, Eugene Hunter’s words ring true: Chaney and Hopper do an incredible job of playing off each one another, each of their strengths as writers and storytellers shining though. If you haven’t read anything by this duo, Ruins of the Galaxy is a really great place to jump in. 

The mission is simple. Escort an emissary to an intergalactic peace summit. Try not to get in the way. But when an explosion rocks the tower and sends everyone into a panic, Magnus and his asset find themselves cut off from the rest of the team.

Worse still, a dying alien chieftain gives them a priceless drive of intel, marking them for death.

The mission has officially changed.

With enemies on all sides, Magnus must do everything in his power to protect the emissary and escape the tower. There is no back up. There is no chance for failure.

The fate of the entire galaxy now lies in the hands of a Republic Marine and a diplomat.

All they have to do is survive.

Pick up Ruins of the Galaxy here on Amazon

9. A Time Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter

What could be better than a collaboration between one of the most esteemed sci-fi writers of all time and a serious, talented up-and-coming hard-science fiction writer? Stephen Baxter had several titles under his belt before his collaboration with Arthur C. Clarke, but the A Time Odyssey trilogy they wrote together remains a fan favorite. If you haven't read this one yet, start with Time's Eye. 

In an instant, Earth is carved up in time and reassembled like a huge jigsaw puzzle. Suddenly the world becomes a patchwork of eras, from prehistory to 2037, each with its own indigenous inhabitants. The explanation for this cataclysmic event may lie in the ancient city of Babylon, where two groups of refugees from 2037—three cosmonauts and three U.N. peacekeepers—have detected strange radio signals. The peacekeepers find allies in nineteenth century British troops and in the armies of Alexander the Great. The cosmonauts join forces with the Mongol horde led by Genghis Khan. Both sides set out for Babylon, vowing to win the race for knowledge—as a powerful and mysterious entity watches, waiting.

Pick up Time's Eye  here on Amazon.

8. Footfall by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

“Niven and Pournelle are one of the seamless entertainment teams that makes it look a great deal easier than it is. That is because Larry Niven is a quality writer and Jerry Pournelle was an established scientist. When they bring their talents together the effect is fantastic and, in my opinion, very re-readable.” —Jon, Goodreads

Footfall is the first of three books on our top 10 co-written by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. It introduced us to Fithp: alien invaders that resemble baby elephants with multiple prehensile trunks. The Fithp don’t sound especially menacing, but they did make last year’s list of Top 10 Most Terrifying Alien Invaders. 

It may not be the very best book to come from this team, but it’s absolutely a classic worth a reading, especially if alien invasion is your jam. 

They first appear as a series of dots on astronomical plates, heading from Saturn directly toward Earth. Since the ringed planet carries no life, scientists deduce the mysterious ship to be a visitor from another star.

The world's frantic efforts to signal the aliens go unanswered. The first contact is hostile: the invaders blast a Soviet space station, seize the survivors, and then destroy every dam and installation on Earth with a hail of asteroids.

Now the conquerors are descending on the American heartland, demanding servile surrender--or death for all humans.

Get your copy of Footfall here on Amazon.

7. 1633 by David Weber and Eric Flint

The 1632 series is a popular alternate history series. So popular it made our reader generated list of the Top 10 Historical Sci-Fi Books of All Time last September. Each book is written either by Eric Flint alone, or with one of a number of co-authors. Two of the earliest and most popular of these—1633 and 1634—were written with David Weber. The first book was written to be a standalone, so many who loved 1632 didn’t go on to read the collaborations which didn’t start rolling out until two years later. If you are new to the series, it’s recommended you start with 1632 before picking up 1633.

AMERICAN FREEDOM AND JUSTICE VS. SEVENTEENTH CENTURY TYRANNY

The new Confederated Principalities of Europe-an alliance between Gustavus,king of Sweden, and the West Virginia town, led by Mike Stearns, which was hurled back through time to the thirty years war - has big problems. As the greatest naval war in European history erupts, Cardinal Richelieu has created an alliance to destroy the CPE, and only American technology can save Gustavus from ruin.

Start reading 1633 here on Amazon.

6. Extinction Cycle: Dark Age by Nicholas Sansbury Smith and Anthony J. Melchiorri

“The absolute acme of achieving an amazing co-written book is quite simply that the readers and the diehard fans don't realize that it is in fact a co-written book. A smooth transition from each writer's talents and co-editing efforts must ultimately come together to provide not necessarily a much better work than either have presented before but again a seamless and fresh take on what has come before. And for me, the "Extinction Cycle: Dark Age" books by Nicholas Sansbury Smith and Anthony J. Melchiorri do just that. Of course I had read the heart-pounding books that NSS produced before but honestly, if I didn't have the cover 'credits' in front of me, I would have never noticed that the Dark Age books were being co-written. Instead, I would have just lived on in blissful ignorance, enjoying a fresh and just as exciting take on what was already a universe that I had become literally addicted to!” —Ziggy, DSF Reader

“Holy Cow my mind is just destroyed. What kind of book do you get when you combine Nicholas Sansbury Smith and Anthony J Melchiorri. A freaking barn burning , stomach churning , head exploding , heart pounding roller coaster ride from Hell.” —Billy Barfield, Goodreads

We couldn’t have said it better! Nicholas Sansbury Smith and Anthony J. Melchiorri are an incredible team. Fans of Smith's tense, emotional and high-action Extinction Cycle Universe might have picked this one up with some trepidation, wondering if the addition of a co-author would hurt the flow, depth and impact of storytelling, but anyone who knew Melchiorri's previous work, either that which he wrote alone or his previous collaboration with Smith (Orbs VI: Exodus) knew there was nothing to fear. The combination of these two writers is absolute fire! While we think everyone should read Extinction Cycle at some point, if you haven't you can still jump right in here with Extinction Shadow as Extinction Cycle: Dark Age works well as a standalone series.

Eight years ago, an engineered virus ravaged the globe, infecting and transforming humans into apex predators called Variants. Billions died, civilization collapsed, and the human race teetered on the brink of extinction. 

Nations banded together and heroes rose up to fight these abominations. On the front lines, Captain Reed Beckham and Master Sergeant Joe "Fitz" Fitzpatrick of Delta Force Team Ghost fought against the Variant hordes. With the aid of CDC Doctor Kate Lovato, they helped lead humanity to victory. 

Now, almost a decade after the end of the war, civilization has slowly clawed toward recovery. In the Allied States of America, survivors live in outposts where they have rebuilt industry, agriculture, and infrastructure. The remaining Variants are believed to be dying off under destroyed cities and the abandoned frontier. 

But evil and intelligent forces dwell in the shadows with the starving beasts, scheming to restart the extinction cycle and end humanity forever. And once again, Beckham, Fitz, and Kate will rise to fight them, joining forces with new heroes to try and save what's left of the world.

Grab Extinction Shadow here on Amazon.

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5. Empire of Man by David Weber and John Ringo

“When March Upcountry published in 2001, David Weber was well-established in Military Science Fiction, with nine books of his Honor Harrington saga plus an additional 10 novels published. In short, he was a Military SF brand name. John Ringo, his ‘apprentice’ partner in crime for March Upcountry, was a relatively new writer, having published the first two books of his Legacy of Aldenata/Posleen War series. For Ringo the rest, as they say, is history.” —Robert H. Bedford

John Ringo and David Weber have each written with other authors, but the series they wrote together Empire of Man really helped establish Ringo as a household name in science fiction. Pick this one up next time you’re looking for a fast paced, military sci-fi adventure, starting with book 1, March Upcountry. 

Roger Ramius MacClintock was young, handsome, athletic, an excellent dresser, and third in line for the Throne of Man. It probably wasn't too surprising that someone in his position should react by becoming spoiled, self‑centered, and petulant. After all, what else did he have to do with his life? Then warships of the Empire of Man's worst rivals shoot his crippled vessel out of space and Roger is shipwrecked on the planet Marduk, whose jungles are full of deadly predators and barbarian hordes with really bad dispositions. Now all Roger has to do is hike halfway around the entire planet, then capture a spaceport from the Bad Guys, somehow commandeer a starship, and then go home to Mother for explanations. Fortunately, Roger has an ace in the hole: Bravo Company of Bronze Battalion of The Empress' Own Regiment. If anyone can get him off Marduk alive, it's the Bronze Barbarians.

Get your copy of March Upcountry here on Amazon.

4. Lucifer’s Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

“Every collaboration is different… Jerry and I trade scenes and choose characters, and so forth.” —Larry Niven

As well as his solo efforts, Larry Niven is known for his collaborations with other authors, a process he describes as being unique each time. Lucifer’s Hammer is one of his earlier collaborations with Jerry Pournelle and it’s interesting to read his comments on working with Pournelle, to read how they “trade scenes.” Keen readers have noted that it is pretty easy to determine which writer is responsible for which scenes (maybe especially true with Lucifer’s Hammer), but even with the obvious difference in style, the books work. 

The gigantic comet has slammed into Earth, forging earthquakes a thousand times too powerful to measure on the Richter scale, tidal waves thousands of feet high. Cities were turned into oceans; oceans turned into steam. It was the beginning of a new Ice Age and the end of civilization

But for the terrified men and women chance had saved, it was also the dawn of a new struggle for survival—a struggle more dangerous and challenging than any they had ever known….

Dive into Lucifer's Hammer here on Amazon.

3. The Expanse by James S. A. Corey

“‘I was trying to write enough story for a $100 million dollar MMO, which never happened,’” Franck elaborates, “‘but you wind up creating as much content as you possibly can.’” 

Abraham then stepped in and pulled Franck’s rich background into the setting for a longer narrative. Abraham explains, “‘I said, ‘You’ve done all this research; I’ve written some novels. I know how to do that. Let’s put these two together – it’s already done.’” —Excerpts from Michael Ahr’s interview with Franck and Abraham at Comic Con for Den of Geek 

In just 10 years The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey— aka writers Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck—has become a wildly successful franchise with eight books (so far), three novellas, and a popular T.V. series adapted from the novels, not to mention the Hugo nominations and, as of 2020 a Hugo win for best series. Not too shabby! Not sure where you’ve been if you haven’t heard of this one but if you haven’t or have but haven’t picked it up, start with Leviathan Wakes to see what the buzz is about! 

Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for—and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.

Get your copy of Leviathan Wakes here on Amazon.

2. The Mote in God’s Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

“I had 4 kids to get through college. So I do journalism and write articles -- or did, until we hit the bestseller list. I told Niven stick with me and I'll make you rich and famous. He was already rich.” —Jerry Pournelle

The Mote in God’s Eye was the first in the three book Moties series and, relevant to this poll, the first of many collaborations between longtime friends Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. True to Pournelle’s prediction, the work they produced together eventually made both of them rich (and famous) and this, their first joint effort, was lauded by Robert A. Heinlein as being “a very important novel, possibly the best contact-with-aliens story ever written.” Not a bad way to kick off a partnership!

In 3016, the 2nd Empire of Man spans hundreds of star systems, thanks to faster-than-light Alderson Drive. Intelligent beings are finally found from the Mote, an isolated star in a thick dust cloud. The bottled-up ancient civilization, at least one million years old, are welcoming, kind, yet evasive, with a dark problem they have not solved in over a million years.

Start The Mote in God's Eye here on Amazon.

1.Galaxy’s Edge by Jason Anspach and Nick Cole

“Jason came to my attention because his writing is outstanding. He really loves the art of the story. And he’s got an excellent narrative voice and one of the most agile minds I’ve encountered. He’s the David Spade to my Chris Farley.”  —Nick Cole

And so began one of the most kick-ass modern day sci-fi collaborations. Readers of Jason Anspach and Nick Cole’s Galaxy’s Edge quickly turn into die-hard fans: fans, who are richly rewarded as this writing duo manages an incredible publishing schedule, turning out book after book, each as fast-paced and engrossing as the last. If you haven't read the series yet, begin at the beginning, with Legionnaire.

The Galaxy is a Dumpster Fire.

A hot, stinking, dumpster fire. And most days I don’t know if the legionnaires are putting out the flames, or fanning them into an inferno.

A hostile force ambushes Victory Company during a reconnaissance-in-force deep inside enemy territory. Stranded behind enemy lines, a sergeant must lead a band of survivors against merciless insurgents on a deadly alien world somewhere along the galaxy’s edge. With no room for error, the Republic’s elite fighting force must struggle to survive under siege while waiting on a rescue that might never come.

Grab Legionnaire  here on Amazon.

What did you think of the top 10 selections as decided by your fellow Discover Sci-Fi readers? Any you strongly agree or disagree with? Any you're eager to pick up now that weren't on your radar before? Share you thoughts in the comments here on the blog, or visit us here in our Facebook group and make sure to check out our most recent poll while you're there!

*All book-related copy in this post was pulled from Amazon, Goodreads & Wikipedia, unless otherwise credited.

Collaborative writing has resulted in some truly excellent books, but it takes just the right team to get there. Last week we asked you to nominate and vote for your favorite co-written books and you turned in dozens of great nominations!

Before we get to the list of our final contenders, we'd like to give honorable mention to two writing teams nominated in the opening round: Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Anne Scarborough, and Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson were two teams nominated without specified titles and so despite receiving dozens of votes, we did not advance them. Nonetheless, both writing teams succeeded in writing compelling and adventurous sci-fi worth checking out if you haven't already. 

Now, it's time to decide.

We narrowed down the list of your nominations to the ten most voted for, and now it's time to figure out what the best ones are out of this group!

*As alway this list is made up by combining votes from this blog and our Facebook group.  

We have serious appreciation for authors who start off strong with the opening book in a series and then raise the bar with the next book(s). Lucky for us, there are a lot of them! 

Last week, we asked for your nominations for sci-fi sequels that were remarkably better than the first book in the series. In that first round of voting, you were able to nominate and vote for as many titles as you wanted, but now...

Now, it's time to decide.

We narrowed down the list of your nominations to the ten most voted for, and now it's time to figure out what the best ones are out of this group!

*As alway this list is made up by combining votes from this blog and our Facebook group.  

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. —Arthur C. Clarke 

Little did we know how challenging it would be to come up with a consensus on what books contain elements of both science fiction and fantasy!

While some elements of sci-fi and of fantasy are pretty straight forward—aliens, sci-fi; elves, fantasy (for example)—some elements are trickier. Time travel? Generally in the realm of sci-fi,  except when it occurs in a decidedly non-science-y way as in Stephen R. Donaldson's The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

Between the blog and the Facebook group, almost 100 of you voted for this selection, placing it near the top in the opening poll, but being solidly fantasy, we didn't advance it. But "the time travel," some may argue.  We felt that considering the time travel happens as a result of the titular character getting smoked by a police car rather than by some feat of science, the time travel too, was an element of fantasy rather than sci-fi. 

We attempted to cull the nominations for the top ten titles that best met the criteria, and this past week, those are the ones you voted on. Still lots of valid debate as to whether those titles met the criteria too; regardless, we have arrived at our top 10! Curious to know which ONE of those was deemed the very best by the Discover Sci-Fi Community?

Without further ado, based on the combined nominations and votes here on the Discover Sci-Fi blog and the Facebook group, here are the 10 most re-read sci-fi books of all-time! 

10. Magic, Inc. by Robert A. Heinlein

Heinlein’s books are regularly nominated to our polls, but this is the first time his science fantasy novella Magic, Inc  has gotten the nod. It was originally published in 1940 under the title "The Devil Makes the Law” and was re-released with another novella in the book Waldo & Magic, Inc. in 1950.

Under the guise of an agency for magicians, Magic, Inc. systematically squeezed out the small independent magicians. Then one businessman stood firm. But one man stands firm. And with the help of an Oxford—educated African shaman and a little old lady adept at black magic, he is willing to take on the demons of Hell to resolve the problem—once and for all!

Pick up Waldo & Magic, Inc. here on Amazon

9. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman 

Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials is an expansive series that, while written with a younger audience in mind, has captivated adults as well. Start with The Golden Compass if you are new to the series. 

Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule. North, where the Gobblers take the children they steal—including her friend Roger. North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world.

Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want.

But what Lyra doesn't know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other...

Pick up His Dark Materials  here on Amazon.

8. The Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley

In the comments here and in conversations over in the Discover Sci-Fi Facebook group, this is one of just a few titles nominated that didn’t provoke a lot of disagreement (save the suggestion that it fit only “if you squint hard enough”). 

Marion Zimmer Bradley spoke about the approach she took to writing the Darkover series as “…re-combining old and familiar elements for a fairly routine piece of science-fantasy.” Calling it a “routine piece” doesn’t make it sound very special, but nevertheless, with this approach, she established a huge fanbase and the books remain popular today.

If you’re new to the series, in terms of order, you can take a few different approaches to reading them, but the author suggested reading them in publication order, so why not start with The Planet Savers? Originally published in 1968, it is a slim volume and the first Darkover book published. 

Darkover was experiencing a flare-up of Trailmen's fever, an episodic disease that would decimate the entire human population of Darkover, from the Comyn to the Terrans. The Medical Branch at Terran HQ had the start of a cure, but in order to finish it, they needed Trailmen to come out of their homes in the trees in the Hellers Mountains and donate blood. Only one man on Darkover stood any chance of persuading the Trailmen to help, but he occupied the same body as the doctor capable of doing the medical side of the work, and he was the personality the doctor had utterly suppressed. Even with hypnosis, only one of them could be active at a time, and the solution would need both of them.

Get your copy of The Planet Savers here on Amazon.

7. The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke

“Between science fiction and fantasy the line is often blurry. That line is hard and fast when an SF story is firmly grounded in known science. But when a writer ventures far into the future, speculating about the emergence of technologies that bear no recognizable relationship to what is known today about how the universe is organized, it’s difficult to regard the product as anything other than fantasy.” —Mal Warwick 

Do you think this is a slippery slope? It may well be, but it’s the reasoning we used to let the admittedly contentious reader nominated The City and the Stars slide into final round of voting. It would seem that Clarke himself might agree, given the quote at the top of this post—the third of his Three Laws—which more or less echos Warwick’s statement.

Far in the future, Earth’s oceans have evaporated and humanity has all but vanished. The inhabitants of Diaspar believe their domed city is all that remains of an empire that had once conquered the stars. Inside the dome, the citizens live in technological splendor, free from the distractions of aging and disease. Everything is controlled precisely, just as the city’s designers had intended.

But a boy named Alvin, unlike his fellow humans, shows an insatiable—and dangerous—curiosity about the world outside the dome. His questions will send him on a quest to discover the truth about the city and humanity’s history—as well as its future.

Start reading The City and the Stars here on Amazon.

6. Riverworld by Philip Jose Farmer

“Yes, we've gone through the looking-glass here. But it's a rational world we're in, however crazy the above scenario may sound. Our search with Burton is more than a fantasy or science fiction search for the wizard behind the scenes. It becomes a metaphysical search as well, a search for meaning in any of our lives.” —Eric McMillan

Philip Jose Farmer’s Riverworld series allowed him to play with a number of themes as well as a combination of science fiction and fantasy elements. The first book, To Your Scattered Bodies Go, finds the main character awake (after being killed) by the shore of a river. Perhaps more stunning than his own apparent reincarnation, was that of every other being that had ever lived.

Imagine that every human who ever lived, from the earliest Neanderthals to the present, is resurrected after death on the banks of an astonishing and seemingly endless river on an unknown world. They are miraculously provided with food, but with not a clue to the possible meaning of this strange afterlife. And so billions of people from history, and before, must start living again.

Some set sail on the great river questing for the meaning of their resurrection, and to find and confront their mysterious benefactors. On this long journey, we meet Sir Richard Francis Burton, Mark Twain, Odysseus, Cyrano de Bergerac, and many others, most of whom embark upon searches of their own in this huge afterlife.

Grab Riverworld here on Amazon.

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5. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

The Eye of the World is the first book in what is a truly epic series. The Eye of the World came out in 1990 and was written by Robert Jordan.  After Jordon died, Brandon Sanderson picked up the torch, writing books twelve through fourteen working from Jordon's notes. 

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

When The Two Rivers is attacked by Trollocs-a savage tribe of half-men, half-beasts- five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.

Get your copy of The Eye of the World here on Amazon.

4. Glory Road by Robert A. Heinlein

Robert A. Heinlein is, of course, one of the masters of the science fiction genre and Glory Road represents a departure of sorts. While science fiction elements exist in the story, Heinlein leans harder into fantasy with this one. 

“Glory Road is a science fantasy novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (July – September 1963) and published in hardcover the same year. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1964.

"ARE YOU A COWARD? This is not for you. We badly need a brave man. He must be 23 to 25 years old, in perfect health, at least six feet tall, weigh about 190 pounds, fluent English, with some French, proficient in all weapons, some knowledge of engineering and mathematics essential, willing to travel, no family or emotional ties, indomitably courageous and handsome of face and figure. Permanent employment, very high pay, glorious adventure, great danger. You must apply in person, rue Dante, Nice, 2me étage, apt. D."

Dive into Glory Road here on Amazon.

3. Honor Harrington by David Weber

David Weber’s Honor Harrington series has shown up on more of our polls than we can count! But one featuring sci-fantasy books? The deciding element here may be telepathy. As with time travel, some authors attempt to offer scientific reasons for telepathic abilities and some don’t. Is this the line we draw as to whether telepathy is a science fiction element or a fantasy element in a given work? We’d love to hear what you think! If you missed out on this one and need to read it before weighing in, start with On Basilisk Station. 

“Honor Harrington in trouble: Having made him look the fool, she's been exiled to Basilisk Station in disgrace and set up for ruin by a superior who hates her. Her demoralized crew blames her for their ship's humiliating posting to an out-of-the-way picket station. The aborigines of the system's only habitable planet are smoking homicide-inducing hallucinogens. Parliament isn't sure it wants to keep the place; the major local industry is smuggling, the merchant cartels want her head; the star-conquering, so-called "Republic" of Haven is Up to Something; and Honor Harrington has a single, over-age light cruiser with an armament that doesn't work to police the entire star system.”

Get your copy of On Basilisk Station here on Amazon.

2. Dune by Frank Herbert

“Even Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel Dune could be considered science fantasy. Space travel in Dune is not reliant on some super-advanced technology like an FTL drive. Instead, it’s made possible by a spice called melange, which enables navigators to fold space and makes some takers prescient. Those addicted to it develop completely-blue eyes — a shift not really explained in any scientific way."—Robo♥beat

Many of you protested the inclusion of Frank Herbert's Dune in both the initial and final poll, and we get it! Dune is rarely discussed as fantasy and is touted by some as one of the most influential sci-fi books ever. We think Robo♥beat's logic holds though. What about you? 

When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream. 

A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.

Start Dune here on Amazon.

1. Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

"In later interviews with press and fans, Anne McCaffrey would bristle at any attempt to classify her Dragonriders of Pern series as fantasy. Her dragons, she pointed out, were genetically engineered animals ridden by descendants of space explorers, not magical elves. —Mari Ness, tor.com

The above quote is taken from an excellent breakdown on tor.com of the fantasy roots of Anne McCaffrey’s esteemed Dragonriders of Pern series. The later books in the series are indisputably sci-fi, but looking at the series as a whole, it’s impossible not to acknowledge the fantasy elements of the first book, Dragonflight.

To the nobles who live in Benden Weyr, Lessa is nothing but a ragged kitchen girl. For most of her life she has survived by serving those who betrayed her father and took over his lands. Now the time has come for Lessa to shed her disguise—and take back her stolen birthright.

But everything changes when she meets a queen dragon. The bond they share will be deep and last forever. It will protect them when, for the first time in centuries, Lessa’s world is threatened by Thread, an evil substance that falls like rain and destroys everything it touches. Dragons and their Riders once protected the planet from Thread, but there are very few of them left these days. Now brave Lessa must risk her life, and the life of her beloved dragon, to save her beautiful world. 

Grab Dragonflight here on Amazon.

*All book-related copy in this post was pulled from Amazon, Goodreads & Wikipedia, unless otherwise credited.